Cari Hutson is a powerhouse vocalist from Austin, TX. She has been enchanting audiences in the Central Texas area for over two decades. Hutson studied Musical Theatre at Texas State University in the late "90s and found herself hitting the original music scene of Austin in the early 2000's with her bands "Remedy" and "Blu Funk Junction". It was during that time that she first found her love of Janis Joplin, often covering songs like, "Try" and "Me & Bobby McGee". But years would transpire before her career would come full circle and her theatre roots would collide with live music performance. In 2013 Cari was cast to perform as Janis(alternate/lead) in " A Night with Janis Joplin" by Randy Johnson. The show opened at The ZACH Theatre in Austin, TX. the fall of 2013 and then traveled to the San Jose Repertory Theatre in San Jose, Ca. In the closing week of the show Hutson was surprised by a phone call from non other than Dave Getz-drummer of Janis's backing band "Big Brother and the Holding Company"! He had seen one of Hutson's performances as Janis and called to congratulate her on a winning and inspiring show. It was from that first telephone call that Getz and Hutson's friendship began. In 2016 Hutson and her band "Good Company" recorded Hutson's second record. "Songs like "Burn" and the title track were gritty to the core, and her "wail" was very much accounted for — bolder than ever, in fact, after having been exercised to peak form during Hutson's time performing and touring as "Janis" herself in the Joplin Estate sanctioned theatrical production, A Night with Janis Joplin. Among the new fans (and friends) she won over through that adventure was none other than original Big Brother and the Holding Company drummer Dave Getz, who was so taken with Hutson's performance that he offered her the prize of "Can't Be the Only One," a song he'd written with lyrics Joplin had left behind but never had the chance to sing herself. That very song would find itself on the record. Hutson and Good Company's recording of the song did it proud." "Her interpretation of the lyric and her roots, blues feel brings the song to life," noted a duly impressed Getz. "If Janis could hear it (and maybe she can), I think she would be pleased."-Dave Getz Shortly after Hutson returned to her home of Austin, TX. she put together a birthday celebration tribute to Janis Joplin that ended up being an Annual Event that took place at various venues in town. After 2020, the show was rebranded as "Kosmic- A Janis Joplin Tribute", taking on a new energy with new theatrical elements added to the experience. This year is Kosmic's first year at the 04 Center and is sure to the best yet! Currently fronting her band Cari Hutson & Good Company, she has 3 records of original material under her belt with more on the way. You can catch her monthly at The Saxon Pub. --